10 Cool Habits To Help You Stop Smoking

We all know that smoking is bad for our health. Even cigarette manufacturers know this, and that’s the reason they always place a warning label on every cigarette pack they sell. But then again, no matter how unhealthy and dangerous it can be, or how other people dissuade us to stop lighting and puffing a cigarette stick, the sole decision on whether to stop or not simply lies within us. Who will make you stop smoking? Only you can do that to yourself.

Strong will and determination are needed for a person to stop smoking, and you need to find these attributes inside your very core to help you achieve a smoke-free life. You have to change your daily habits to healthier ones so that you can truly say goodbye to the hazards of smoking.

10 Self-Help Habits That Will Make You Stop Smoking

Did you know that there are ten simple daily habits that will make you stop smoking? As absurd as the idea may be, it is actually true. Simple day-to-day habits will help you quit smoking as long as you have the drive to succeed in this endeavor.

1. Say A Daily Morning Mantra Every Time You Wake Up

From “I stop smoking” to “Smoking will kill me,” a mantra will help condition your mind all throughout the day. Of course, you can come up with your own mantra and it is best if you include the reasons to quit smoking. Knowing and hearing your reasons for stopping cigarette will keep you motivated not to get even one cigarette stick in the remaining hours of the day up to the time you fall asleep at night. The following morning, say the same mantra again and let it go on and on and on for the following days, months, or even years.

Also Read: 5 Morning Mistakes That You Are Doing Every Day

2. Keep Track Of Your Progress

This daily practice of marking your calendar on a daily basis will help you keep track of your progress. As you mark off each day that you’ve accomplished without any cigarette smoking, you will feel more fulfilled, satisfied and determined to keep going.

According to Susan Gayle, a behavior modification expert and founder of the New Behavior Institute in New York City:

The first three weeks or 21 days of this practice is very important because it is actually the length of time that is required for a person to really lose a habit.

When you reach an end of the week without going through a single cigarette puff, give yourself some rewards for a job that is well done. Perhaps that new pair of shoes you are dying to have? Or even a simple treat of ice cream will do. Once you pass the three grueling weeks, it is enough to make you stick to a smoking free life for good.

3. Munch Some Mint-Flavored Candies

Candies with mint flavors such as wintergreen and peppermint are helpful in giving you relief for your cigarette cravings. These candies will freshen your mouth and remove any unwanted cravings that you might have. So you’d better stash mints everywhere accessible so that you can get accustomed in the inclusion of mints on your daily habit plan.

4. Go For Gums

If mints are unavailable, your next option is to chew gum. The act of chewing the gum will keep your mouth busy while its freshening taste will help you relieve your cravings for some nicotine sticks. It will also make your mouth feel fresh which will lessen the desire for smoke.

6. Eat More Fruit Salads

Fruits are known to be healthy due to their nutritional content. It will also help you replace your oral fixation of smoking through chewing. While choosing the fruits to be included in your fruit salad, it is best to choose the ones with antioxidants considering that antioxidants are lost during smoking. Foods such as grapes, apples and blueberries are helpful in the relief of cigarette cravings, says Gayle.

7. Drink Plenty Of Water

You might ask how the habit of drinking water will help you stop smoking, right? Water is a very healthy beverage; in fact, it must be the healthiest drinks of all. To relieve and resist your cravings, simply drink a big glass or bottled water slowly. Gayle says:

“Envision that the water is washing away the urge to smoke and washing away all toxins from smoking at the same time.”

An average craving usually lasts for only 15 seconds, and you need to distract yourself for this length of time.

8. Change Your Daily Diet

A study in the United States showed that some foods such as meat tend to increase the cravings for cigarettes because they make it more satisfying. It is best to include foods that make cigarettes taste bad on your daily diet. These foods make cigarettes’ taste awful. These include cheese, fruits, and vegetables. So it is best to change your beloved steak to some cheesy pizza instead.

8. Keep Yourself Busy With An Activity

Scientific studies prove that exercise helps you cut your cravings for nicotine. Even a five-minute brisk walking or stretching will do the trick and help your brain produce some anti-craving chemicals that will combat your longing for a cigarette stick.

Moreover, when you get yourself to exercise, you will not only help your body get rid of smoking, but it will also help you keep fit and healthy.

9. Keep Yourself Busy Especially After Eating A Meal

Normally, people smoke after they finish a meal or a snack. So instead of going to a smoking area or getting that cigarette and lighter from the drawer, why don’t you go to a place where you don’t smoke. Or wash the dishes instead. This will help keep your mind off from the temptations of smoking and will improve your chances of getting rid of the bad habit.

10. Talk To Your Support

Get your support team and make it a habit of talking to them daily. You can share your progress with them, and they can provide you with encouraging words and actions to help keep you going. Your support can be your family, friends, or other people going on the same cessation as you do. Whoever your supports are, make sure to keep an open communication with them on a daily basis.